Until then
by tamarindblue
Summary: "Emotions aren't our greatest forte, both of us"


Everybody assumed that Loki hijacked Odin's body.

What if it wasn't like that?

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Until then<strong>_

On The bright side, he'd be with her.

If life betrayed him and her, if the tides carried him away from her, death would reunite them.

'No' the still functioning part of his mind worked the math,

'She belongs to Valhalla whilst you belong to Hel'

* * *

><p>He wasn't slipping away, he was literally being sucked<p>

He was sucked through this votrex.

It was absorbing his entire being.

'This is the end' it looped through his mind.

* * *

><p>He expected pain, red and screams.<p>

He expected Anguish, fire and torture.

He expected darkness and doom.

Yet he was in this gilded hall so similar to Asgard's great hall.

'Maybe against all odds you made it to Valhalla, maybe she found a way to convince the Valkyries to let you jn'

"You made it, Loki"

The deep old voice broke off the silence.

It wasn't Frigga.

It was Odin.

* * *

><p>It took virtually no time for shock to wear off him.<p>

"Where am I?" the antagonism and menace now ever present & evident in his voice.

"Where do you think you are?"

"Your mind Allfather"

"You never fail to astonish me by your fine wits, so you know why did I direct you here, why did I let you in?"

"To save me from the clutches of death, Oh how kind of you Allfather, really...to lock me out here in your mind, lock me in a virtual prison , in the back of your mind as usual"

Years of life and struggle have taught the all father better than to snap or lose it, he just smiled at his fallen son

"You are so deluded in your opinion of me Loki.I see no reason as to wonder why, after all I stole from your homeland and raised you as a relic, a reminder of how a mighty conqueror I have been established, A living political leverage, right?"

"You said it yourself, Mighty king" Mockery dripping off him like venom.

"You are a blind twisted pathetic boy"

The change of tone pretty knocked the younger man by surprise.

"You failed me utterly and wholly, I never wanted you to become like this, you know why? Because you are my son, as much as Thor. You are my son even if you failed to grasp that concept, you are my son despite everything, your failure is a failure of mine, your success is something I yearn for. I amnot your enemy, you fool"

"Now, you come to claim me as your son" his voice rising an octave, betraying him and his unspoken vow not to crack or show any sign of emotions in front of the man " Then why haven't you said that before? Why didn't you tell me the truth? Why was it always Thor? Why didn't you even acknowledge me before it all fell apart? You had an eye patch allfather limiting your vision field to Thor, no one except Thor, your one eye saw only Thor. You didn't see me"

"on the contra..."

"or at best you saw me as a haze against Thor's golden Aura"

"Not true"

"So, you deny you took me in for political interest, a pawn to your ambition to relinquish and claim Jotunheim as your own?"

"No, I don't deny it. I am king. I think and work the best interest for the nine realms, I work to unite the realms by any legitmate means possible."

"Is it legitmate to steal a child from his parents?"

"I stole you not, your parents abandoned you, I made sure to leave behind hints of your whereabouts if they wanted to trail you, but nothing came from their part. And Now that you are judging me and my intentions and deeds, tell me truthfully if you have been in my shoes what would you have done? Tell me , Loki. Great schemer, clever man, wouldn't you have done the same? You of all the people should understand Loki" the allfather's voice rose as well.

He was knocked off balance

"You are so like me Loki, more than you think...and by the way, you are a sensitive prat. I scolded and punished Thor tenfolds more than you and he never came off raging and ranting that you were the favourite son "

Loki just cracked a smile, it was the typical allfather out of allfather's mood that always got him. An unexpected casual comment at the most insensible (or may be very sensible) timing.

"I never compared you to Thor, I never saw you as a haze in comparison to him"

"So you could have let me ascend the throne of Asgard?" he incredulously asked.

"I wouldn't have minded if that was the right thing, if that was what you both wanted. I can't deny Thor his birthright as a first asgardian mentally eligible prince to rule. Thor has a ruler's Charisma and charm to him however if he wasn't interested and if you could build such trust with people, I wouldn't have minded, Fair enough to you?! Loki, All those years I was working on trying to balance between you two equally and fairly. Your strong bond together made me the happiest of men knowing that both appreciate each other more that the throne"

"I never wanted the throne, for the utter sake if it at least"

"I know, you wanted to prove yourself worthy, now you have a chance, you will take over my body till you find a way to mend yours"

"So, you are trusting me with your people and...:

"your people Loki, our people. You are smart and wise enough not to harm them and to build Asgard up and restore it to its former glory."

"What about you? You will remain locked up in your own mind?"

"No, I have some matters to attend to with the valkyries concerning your mother"

The spark of hope reignited in his despondent heartful of self inflicted scars. He reverted back to a 5 years old waiting for Mother to come and hug him tight.

"I'd like to apologise to you, Loki" his voice was getting weary "for failing to show you how much I care"

"Emotions aren't our greatest forte, Father, both of us"

"And by the way, I never regretted taking you in, never. Not now or then or ever , I only regretted when you let go."

"So you didn't want me to?"

"No, it was my responsibility to save you both and I could have if you trusted me enough, if you let me"

"How did it feel? When I fell of the bifrost?"

The old man's expression darkened

"It hurt more than you think... We had to hold up, me and your mother. We had to appear uptight and resolute whilst our hearts burst mourning you, yet no one mourned you as Thor. A part of him fell off with you ...However, finding out you were alive was overwhelming, the happiness for me and Frigga, as though we were witnessing your birth anew" he smiled to his son.

"You will be back soon"

"As long as I find a way to bring her back, Take the reign and show me the best you can and find a solution to regain your former flesh. You can't stay in this old meat sac for long"

"Allfather, There is still a lot left unsaid"

"Sure is, but we will have to sort it out later, Loki, until then son

"

"Until then father"


End file.
